What the Future Holds
by Lodi
Summary: The title says it all, really. Besides, the summary would be half the length of the story. GSR related. Please feel free to respond.


Disclaimer: Sure, I'd like to claim the characters as my own, but I can't.

Summary: The title says it all, really. Besides, the summary would be half the length of the story. GSR related. Please feel free to respond.

* * *

**What the Future Holds**

Gil Grissom had come back to work feeling a renewed sense of self, understanding the deeper meaning of his life. Before his sabbatical, his life had become bogged down with office politics, mounds of paperwork, and the emotional strain of watching the people he cared about become increasingly put in harms way. Teaching at UNLV had refreshed him, allowing him to step away from the dark underbelly of the city for the brighter, active atmosphere of young learners.

One thing that teaching had done for him was to show him who he was, and who he wanted to be.

Sara had been the greatest source of strength for him, this last month especially. He had the vague notion that it had been that way since they had first met, and the thought made him smile. He never wanted to give that up.

He took a deep breath as he fingered the small, precious object that had once belonged to his grandmother that he had put in his pocket.

If she'd have him that long, he thought as he continued driving to a scene of an attempted burglary.

XOX

Sara had been in the police station when the report of a shooting had come over the scanner. She immediately recognized the address as that of Grissom's burglary investigation. Feeling the Earth shatter around her, she wasted no time getting to the scene.

Once she got there, she ducked under the police tape, running towards the scene.

"Griss," she called out, trying hard to keep the panic threatening to rise up inside her at bay.

She turned, searching in all directions. The combination of lights and the crowd of faces blurred by the tears streaming down her face had a dizzying effect.

"Grissom!"

Stopping, Sara tried to focus on the various emergency vehicles that were parked at the scene to ground her senses. Her eyes stopped on a pair of men behind a dark truck who were zipping up a black body bag.

In a stunned stupor, her hand flew to cover her mouth as she numbly walked towards the body. Her mind was blank. She didn't want to think that it could be him; she didn't want to know if it was, but her feet moved of their own volition, taking her ever closer to the inevitable answer.

"Ready. On the count of three," the voices of the medical team seemed oddly distant, as the moved to lift the body into the back of the truck.

"Wait," she heard herself say. The two men looked at her. "Please, I—I have to know…"

The two men exchanged a look before the one of them moved to unzip the back.

Sara closed her eyes.

"Sara." The familiar deep voice called to her from somewhere far off making her nearly choke on the fresh waves of tears. She didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to see him lying there, lifeless.

"Sara." She choked again. The voice had sounded closer that time.

"Sara"

"Grissom," she answered involuntarily before she could stop herself. Her own voice seemed to call her back to the present as she opened her eyes in shock. She looked down at the face in the body bag. She inhaled sharply as recognition dawned on her and she spun around suddenly.

He stood directly across from her, one foot forward in mid-stride. A look of relief came over him as he noticed that he finally caught her attention.

"Grissom," she said his name softly to herself, encouraging her feet to step toward him.

Then, like magnets, their bodies flew towards each other, their arms encircling one another as they met. Tears poured from Sara's eyes as she rested her head on his shoulder. Grissom rested his cheek against the back of her head, pulling her tighter into his embrace. And as the pair stood there, the world, the lights, the cameras, all the people, melted away and the only thing that existed in that moment was the one they held in their arms.

XOX

Behind the yellow tape, a squad car pulled up, announcing the arrival of Detective Jim Brass and Catherine Willows who, both having heard the report of the shooting, rushed over to check on their friend. Both of them got out and ran towards the scene, but stopped short as their eyes came to rest on the pair of investigators lost in one another's embrace.

They looked at each other with their mouths hanging open, and then turned back to watch as the tall, gray-haired man gently disengaged himself from the unsettled, brunette. He was speaking to her, his eyes never leaving her face.

Catherine's clasped hands went up to her mouth, as the man reached into his pocket, pulling out a small, golden object that was unmistakable, even at this distance. Tears started welling up in her eyes as the woman nodded, and the man slipped the ring on to her finger before taking her back into his embrace.

Catherine turned to Brass, who was just as taken by the odd turn of events. Both of them smiling, they gave each other a hug and turned back to the squad car, leaving the scene.


End file.
